Technical Support Services for Fingerprint Examinations

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared for the format in Subpart 12, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotations are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation number for this requirement is 830100000960RQ. The following provisions and clauses are incorporated into this solicitation by reference and no addenda apply: FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Items; FAR 212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items; FAR 212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items. Each offeror shall include a completed copy of FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items with their quote. No additional FAR clauses apply. These clauses are found at http://www.arnet.gov/far/current/html/52_212_213.html. The NAICS code is 561611 with a size standard of $11,500,000. This requirement will be awarded in accordance with 5 CFR Part 300, Subpart E, Use of Private Sector Temporaries. The Office of Laboratory Services, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), United States Department of Justice, provides analytical and advisory services on matters of a scientific nature. Laboratory Services is comprised of five organizational groups: the Forensic Science Laboratory - Washington, the Fire Research Laboratory, the Forensic Science Laboratory- San Francisco and the Forensic Science Laboratory - Atlanta. The ATF Laboratory is composed of over 97 chemists, examiners, scientists, engineers, specialists and administrative support personnel. The mission of the ATF Laboratories is to provide accurate and authoritative scientific information needed by ATF in reducing violent crime, protecting the public and collecting the revenues. Laboratory Services is committed to providing the best quality service and timely support to its customers. ATF requires the contractor to perform part time technical services in support of fingerprint examinations. The contractor shall be responsible for the following: maintaining custody of fingerprint evidence, using the examination tools of the laboratory to process evidence for the presence of latent fingerprints, recording identifiable latent fingerprints, conducting comparisons of inked and latent fingerprints, preparing written draft reports describing the results of examinations, communicating the results of examinations to an ATF examiner who will use the results in a final report on the results of examinations and who will give expert opinion evidence. A senior fingerprint examiner will provide technical review and oversight to the examination procedures. In addition, the contractor will perform the routine administrative functions necessary to complete the work and will use office automation to generate reports, track evidence, prepare travel vouchers, and generate correspondence. The contractor will perform the following duties: 1) all types of latent fingerprint examinations and identifications (Note: Latent fingerprint is a term of art that includes prints of fingers, palms, toes, soles, ears, and lips, impressions of gloves, etc.); 2) receive, control and protect all types of physical evidence (e.g., documents, currency, weapons, fire and explosive debris) submitted by ATF Special Agents for latent fingerprint examination; 3) maintain the scientific and legal integrity of the evidence, observes the chain of custody requirements, and transport and safeguard evidence as necessary; 4) determine the approach and appropriate methodology necessary to effectively and reliably examine the physical evidence, taking into consideration such factors as the nature and condition of the evidence, established scientific techniques, time available for examination, circumstances surrounding the evidence, legal and professional requirements and optimum utilization of the laboratory facilities; 5) perform and complete latent fingerprint examinations within the scope of the accepted standards of the International Association of Identification (IAI) following standard ATF approaches and methods of examination (ATF Standard Approaches and Methods are consistent with industry standards, copies can be reviewed by prospective contractors on request). Examinations include complex sequential chemical and physical development, visual, microscopic, photographic, and computer image enhancement techniques, careful interpretation and evaluation of the results obtained to determine the validity, scientific significance, and evidentiary value necessary to provide the maximum information from the evidence; 6) provide periodic assists with internal reviews of completed cases by providing technical advice to the Quality Programs office; 7) prepare draft laboratory reports and makes oral presentations to ATF fingerprint specialists as required, presentations accurately and concisely state the results of examination, interpretation of results, and conclusions drawn pertaining to the evidentiary value of the results, making certain the conclusions drawn are justifiable and supportable in relation to results of examination and accepted professional practice as defined by the IAI; 8) maintain and report statistical information on work completed, time used, agent contacts, and other reports as needed; and 9) perform miscellaneous duties such as routine equipment maintenance (cleaning and calibrating), mixing solutions, filing fingerprint related notes, reports, other records, etc. A Department of Justice/ATF security clearance is required and all contractor personnel must undergo a comprehensive background investigation conducted by the ATF Office of Professional Responsibility, Security and Emergency Programs Division, Personnel Security Office, before being appointed to work under this contract. The contractor shall be responsible for providing the necessary information to permit conduct of the security check. No contractor personnel shall be granted access to ATF facilities, equipment and/or information prior to completion of the security check. All contractor personnel must also comply with a confidentiality requirement. Personnel are prohibited from disclosing outside of ATF any information to which they may become a exposed while working in an ATF laboratory; with the exception of information required in the conduct of their duties or information that may be required as part of a legal proceeding. In particular, any information about criminal investigations, the results of laboratory examinations or laboratory security is confidential. For security reasons contractor personnel may not disclose to the media or general public more than the general location of their place of work without specific approval by the Laboratory Chief. All potential offerors office location must be within a 50-mile radius of the contractor place of performance, which is 6000 Ammendale Road, Ammendale, MD 20705. The work is mostly sedentary; however, mobility between offices is necessary. Carrying packages weighing up to 50 lbs. is required, but no special physical abilities are needed to perform the work. The work is normally conducted in the laboratory and duties involve exposure to known irritants and may require safe handling of carcinogenic or hazardous chemicals/materials. Special safety precautions are required including the wearing and using protective devices such as goggles, dust/mist mask or respirator, gloves, and laboratory coat/smock. Contractors are required to work on an as needed, as available basis, Monday - Friday, up to 8 hours per day, up to 40 hours per week. Normal hours of operation are 8:30 am - 5:00 pm. Generally, the Laboratory Chief and the contractor will agree to a work schedule that meets the needs of the laboratory and the availability of the independent contractor. The laboratory schedule and the number of hours of work to be performed will be dependent on the availability of work and appropriate supervision. When traveling for the government the contractor will conform to the requirements of Federal Travel Regulations. These regulations can be viewed at http://www.gsa.gov/. Services will not be required on holidays or any other day in which the Federal government is closed. The government will provide office and laboratory space to facilitate contractor workload and assignments. ATF shall furnish the contractor with a computer and access to necessary network systems and access to the tools used by the ATF laboratories to process evidence (i.e., alternate light source, imaging system, fume hood, chemical hood, etc.). The contractor shall provide an initial kick-off meeting with Laboratory management to discuss the laboratory business norms and to set expectations. This meeting will occur within two weeks of contract award. The contractor shall have bi-monthly meetings with a designated ATF representative to ensure that the contractors are compliant with the required tasks and to verify hours worked for payment. The period of performance for this requirement is 120 workdays in a 24-month period and the period begins on the first day of the assignment. The scheduled period of performance end date is September 29, 2009. ATF will award a firm-fixed price contract based on a best value analysis. The offerors will be rated on the following technical factors: 1) experience in processing evidence thoroughly and effectively to recover latent fingerprints using the processes that are appropriate for a variety of evidence types using the most suitable technique; 2) experience in comparing ink to ink and ink to latent fingerprints and making accurate identifications or eliminations; 3) experience in preparing and processing written materials such as near final accurate and complete draft reports that use appropriate spelling, grammar, and punctuation, and are completed in accordance with ATF guidance; 4) experience in making technical presentations to peers and supervisors when describing technical issues; 5) experience in giving timely results with attentiveness to priorities and completing assigned tasks within established deadlines; 6) experience in conducting and completes assigned tasks with a high level of independence, requiring only minimal guidance; 7) experience in maintaining one-on-one interpersonal business relation with peers, coworkers, supervisor, clients and customers and making use of tact and diplomacy in group situations (e.g., in conducting peer reviews, participating in meetings, conferences and other forums and group activities); 8) certified in the area of fingerprint examination, to include certification by the IAI; and 9) experience in providing technical services without additional technical training. ATF will provide training on non-technical procedures. Price is considered the least important factor. All responsible and responsive offerors must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration Database (www.ccr.gov) prior to award. ATF highly recommends that the contractor employee submit invoices electronically to contact@example.gov. Please submit your responses via email to contact@example.gov .Questions concerning this procurement may be addressed to Asia Mills, Contract Specialist, by e-mail contact@example.gov . The closing date of this procurement is September 16, 2008, 1:30pm EST.